Replay (Under new management)
by AnimaDisciple
Summary: [Rewrite of Ragnell13's original fanfiction.] After ignoring the basics of logic and self preservation, Shinobu agrees to test out Su's latest invention and ends up six years into the past, just as Keitaro is moving in. Deciding this time around she will work to make him fall for her, she starts re-living the Love Hina manga. With some unintended help.
1. Prologue

**AN: This fic is a rewrite or Ragnell13's story under the same name. He is an online friend of mine, who unfortunately can no longer continue the story. He wanted to, but RL if being a bitch to him so he has to drop writing for now. But I liked this story, so after I asked him to I was given permission to rewrite it.**

**So yeah, there's that. I will of course modify it to my style of narration. This prologue and the next 4 chapters will be altered versions of Ragnell's original script. From the fifth chapter onwards, it will be my own original plot. I will upload them once a week.**

**And...that's it. You are probably not even reading this, so I might as well start.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, for Ken Akamatsu does. This fic's original concept was Ragnell13's.**

**EDIT: I also lack a Beta Reader and am often distracted as I write. If you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me in the most rude fashion you can think of. Helps with motivating me to not doing it again.**

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><p><strong>Prologue: Rewind<strong>

What would you do if, starting tomorrow, you could live your life all over again?

Something boring most likely, but let us keep that idea in mind for now.

Most people will agree that life is meant to be experienced only once. Regardless of culture or beliefs, very few individuals will honestly tell you that a second chance is possible. Like a game without extra lives, once it's over you can't continue nor try again. Maybe you move on to something else, maybe you can restart from scratch as a fresh new character, or maybe nothing happens. Nobody knows.

But isn't that a little bit boring? Isn't it interesting thinking about all that could happen with just one new chance?

Such was the case for Maehara Shinobu, the resident cook of the Hinata Dormitories. A girl not unfamiliar with daydreaming and wishful thinking, Shinobu had lived most of her young life struggling with a subject that tortures us all: Love. Unrequited love that is.

So, then, what would happen if by mere chance (And the insanity of a close friend of hers) she were to receive a second try?

Well, let us see…

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><p><strong>April 1<strong>**st****, 2005**

Marriage.

Almost everyone can agree this ceremony of union is quite like a rite of passage. In most cultures it's often taken for granted that at some point people will marry, settle down and start a family. It's seen as something natural in people's lives; the end of a stage of youth, fickle romance and wild experimentation and the start of the rest of your days along the person you chose as a partner.

And mere words can't describe the feelings of those involved in this event. It is often said that the days preceding the wedding will determine how the couple will live together afterwards, for it is when their dynamic as partners is put to the test. It's not unusual then that feelings such as regret and desire arise during this period.

It's, however, not quite usual for someone who isn't the bride to be the one feeling this way.

In Shinobu's particular case, she dealt with her feelings by burying herself in the wedding's preparations, happily waiting yet also somehow dreading the time when the vows would be taken and the rings exchanged. As the resident cook she had insisted upon Naru that it be her who prepared the wedding feast and cake rather than ask some restaurant. It was, after all, a small event with not that many attendants, so it wasn't something Shinobu would be overwhelmed with. And like said before, it helped take her mind away from the groom and his soon-to-be-married status.

It really wasn't surprising for anyone that Shinobu was troubled this way. She wasn't the only one struggling with an emotional conflict, in fact. Urashima Keitaro had made an impact in all of the Hinata's residents (Plus some) and had gained their affection with time. But from them all he had chosen Naru, and it was her alone he would marry come the next two days.

So, really, Shinobu's situation was understandable, and it was something she would deal with by herself.

She was genuinely happy for the couple; she really was. They were both dear friends and very important people in her life. And it wasn't like she was in torment either. There was pain, yes, but this was something everyone had seen coming, so the chances of her answering "I!" to the "Speak now or forever hold your tongue" were very, very low.

So in all honesty, Shinobu wasn't in any kind of deep personal conflict. Her feelings had long been acknowledged by Keitaro and she had been given years to deal with the rejection she had known was coming from the very start. She knew that once the time came, she would smile and wish the couple the best and happiest of fortunes. It would be the closure to a hard but very important chapter in her life. She would even go as far as to say she **needed** this to happen.

The only problem was the regret she felt; something that was also a given.

As she had grown up, Shinobu had matured in both mind and spirit. No longer was she the 13 year old girl scared of feelings she hadn't experienced before. She was a woman now, one whose heart had blossomed along with the feelings she had held on to for years. But that in itself was the issue. Now that she understood the extent of her feelings for Keitaro, Shinobu realized what a coward she had been.

Because she HAD been a coward. In hindsight, even if she had actively pursued Keitaro, it would have probably ended with heartbreak for her. After all, it would have been asking a man several years her senior to wait for her to mature in the hopes that an innocent crush would evolve into love and they could be together. Not to mention the social implications it would bring. Even if Keitaro hadn't been around other pursuable women, the chances for her success would have been low anyways.

But in the end that was just a series of excuses. In the battle known as love success was always uncertain, but without trying it was a guaranteed zero. Shinobu had been scared and given up from the get go, showing the poor strength of her feelings at that point in life. And now a grown woman, she wished she could do it all over again. Like they often said, trying and failing would have been preferable to not trying at all, because then she wouldn't be trapped inside the "what if's" of her fantasies.

Yet now it was too late, and Shinobu herself realized thinking about the topic would do her no good. It was far easier to think about her dear friend Kaolla Su, and how she would strangle her once she reached her room.

Shinobu's desire to display such a heartwarming show of friendship stemmed from the fact that the Molmolese girl had eaten the wedding cake she had spent hours baking. All three floors of the cake. **In 15 minutes**.

It was an acknowledged fact to Shinobu that Su didn't operate under the laws of reality. For starters, she transformed into a different shape under the red moon, which was a blatant violation of the law of mass conservation and human biology in general. Thus, she was no longer surprised that anything done by the girl defied both sense and logic in its every single aspect. Rather, going straight to the scolding was far more convenient than sitting down to think about the crazy girl's actions. And after years of living under the same roof, Shinobu was certain she had seen every insanity the Molmolese princess had to offer.

Such a blatant temptation of fate could not go unanswered.

"Hi Shinobu! What'cha doooing?~" With a hop and a flip, the Molmolese landed (Yes, landed) in front of the blue haired cook. Her arrival somehow felt like an omen for disaster.

Shinobu recovered from her surprise quickly, opening her mouth to start the scolding her friend had coming, but unfortunately for our protagonist that was a day the princess was not interested in inconsequential things. Such as talking. And others.

"Nothing? Great! Come with me!" Formalities over with and not caring for an answer, the girl took Shinobu by the wrist and began dragging her towards her room. It was at times like these, when Shinobu's feet flew over the floor, that the cook was reminded of how strong Kaolla was.

"Wait! Kaolla! I have to-aaaaaaaaaaaah!" Her protests unheard, our nineteen year-old tenant got dragged through the dormitory and into the room of Hinata's resident mad scientist. It was a surreal place, full of indoor vegetation and machines lurking under the leaves. Storming inside, both girls dashed towards the clearing often used as Su's living room; or in this case, spot. While she still thought of resisting the pull, Shinobu knew remaining even a short amount of time in the unexplored corners of this place was a bad idea. Finally giving up and letting herself continue to be taken, the pair arrived at the spot they had hung out for years along with Sarah.

"We're here!" Coming to an abrupt stop, Kaolla finally let go of her friend as she took a pose, sweeping her arm through the area as a manner of presentation. And it wasn't hard to determine what her friend wanted to be noticed.

The…'thing' consisted of a pillar or tower Shinobu thought may be a computer, spanning the whole heigth from the floor to the ceiling. Cables as thick as a log came from inside the machine and spread upwards, downwards and all around the room, connecting to various pieces of equipment Shinobu would have needed a degree in engineering to correctly identify.

One such piece was a control panel not five meters away from the tower, which Su was already typing away at with such a speed her arms were a blur.

Voices inside Shinobu's head told her to quietly, and quickly, get the hell away from there.

Suddenly, the room went dark, startling an "Eep!" out of the cook as a _whirr_ing sound grew louder around her. Technology came to life as stage lights shone brightly upon the invention; and upon its creator as well, who held a mike in her hand. "I present to you Maehara Shinobu, the greatest invention of this century! The Mecha Seer version XD-101!" Recorded cheers rung out as various fans began spinning and the apparently ground-breaking creation turned on.

Shinobu knew not what to say; literally. This all had been so sudden and…bizarre, not to mention that for the life of her she could not tell how that thing had anything to do with fortune telling. "The Mecha Seer…?" The bluenette asked without thinking.

She should have known better.

"That's right! This baby has a 150% probability of predicting a subject's future with perfect accuracy!" Shinobu was no genius, but she was almost certain that a 150% probability of doing anything perfectly was not a correct term.

"Kaolla, how did…no, WHY did you build that?" She asked in a futile attempt to make sense of the situation. Su's thought process was incomprehensible enough as to be called alien.

"I'm glad you asked, Shinobu! It's a funny story." As the mike kept carrying the girl's (Woman's, actually. But to be fair, it was hard to think of Su as a grown up) voice through the room, Shinobu briefly wondered why she had not fled yet. "You see, one month ago I came across this fortune teller who assured me he could tell me my future just by looking at my hands! But even though I asked many times and came back every day, he couldn't tell me how many bananas I would get to eat the next day." The Molmolese pouted, remembering her last meeting with the man.

**_Flashback_**

_"Look I'll pay you but for the love of everything that is holy, LEAVE ME ALONE!"_

**_End of flashback_**

Such a nice fellow he was.

Shinobu sweat dropped. Only Su would ask about food when confronted with…well, anything. "Kaolla…that isn't the way fortune telling works…" She started, hoping that by explaining the issue she could put an end to this (Whatever 'this' was) before it began.

The interruption was swift. "Yeah, I know! After he got tired and kicked me out I asked Motoko about it and she told me that things such as telling one's future weren't real. '_Time is an eternal mystery for humanity_' she said" It was at this point that Su grinned, _dangerously_. Shinobu instinctively took a step back. "But then I thought how awesome it would be to know what was going to happen next, like in an hour or a day or a week or a month or a year!" The words came out of the girl's mouth so fast the cook began fearing Su would start choking on them.

"And so I decided I would create a machine capable of telling the future! But after three weeks of work I realized I couldn't surpass time's structure with conventional methods. In other words, I needed a fail proof channel that could move information outside the 4th Dimension. And I have JUST found the solution." She walked merrily towards her and smiled. "Wanna guess what it turned out to be?" Su asked, positioning the mike under her.

"…Plutonium?" Shinobu wasn't stupid, but she was a far cry from being capable of using whatever level of Physics Su operated under. That said, the bluenette knew someone had radioactive materials hidden underground the Hinata.

"Nop~nop~nop!" She sang, and then poked Shinobu's forehead. "The mind!"

"…come again…?"

"Who else would know your future better than yourself?" Shinobu opened her mouth to respond. "Let me answer that for you: No one!" Shinobu closed her mouth in silence. "Once I discovered that, I started using the M Field theory as my channel so that I could contact a person's future self and transmit their information to the current one!"

Signaling once again to her invention, Su continued.

"The Mecha Seer v. XD-101 is programed to construct a 4th Dimensional channel between two temporal iterations of the same individual. Needles enter into the nervous terminals located in the column and brain and then it transfers the subject's memories from the target date back towards the time of contact. That way one can know exactly what will happen to him or her up to a set period of time into the future! Amazing right?" As she finished, the mad inventor struck a final pose in time for confetti to rain over her. She looked up, anxious to see Shinobu's obviously awed expression.

What she found, however, was a blank stare. Without a word, Shinobu turned around and walked towards the door. Without breaking character, the Molmolese princess took out a button from her bosom and pressed it.

The room's door shut close.

"…Kaolla, open the door."

Shinobu felt something slam into her from behind, and felt her friend's arms envelop her waist. "Please please pleeease don't leave, Shinobu!"

Struggling to shake the girl off, the cook gave her response. "I am not helping you test a machine that injects things into my brain. I am not helping you test anything period!"

Su switched sides, this time grasping the apron while kneeling, giving Shinobu an eyeful of her sad, teary puppy eyes. "But Shinobuuuuuuu~"

Too bad for the Molmolese that her friend was immune. "No!"

"But I can't ask anyone else! Naru won't let me use Keitaro because he doesn't want him hurt before the wedding. Motoko wouldn't say yes no matter how much I hugged her. Kitsune just laughed. Haruka hit me with her paper fan, Sarah is with her father, and Mutsumi simply fainted!" She buried her face into Shinobu's stomach. The cook was surprised and a bit disturbed that actual tears were being shed. "You are the only one I have left! Don't leave me! Waaaaah~!"

"K-kaolla…please calm down. It's not that I don't want to help you, I just don't want to get hurt!" She answered, hoping it would be enough to be freed.

Unfortunately for help, nothing short of a straight denial would have deterred Su. Hearing that her friend was not completely opposed to the idea, she stood back up and smiled brightly, all trace of tears gone. "Is that all!? Oh, Shinobu, you had me worried!" For second time that day, the young woman took the cook's hand and dragged her over to the clearing.

Standing beside the machine, she signaled to a certain piece of equipment. "See this? It injects anesthesia upon the subject. You won't feel a thing, and even if something wrong happens, the Mecha Seer will automatically retract itself and shut down at the smallest sign of risk. There's no danger at all! I have even tested it a couple times already."

"A-a couple times!? …with who?"

"Not 'who', silly. Human tests don't start _yet_." Su put focus into the last word, hoping to convey just what she wanted Shinobu to do. Looking at the chair situated right below the machine, the cook already had a pretty good idea. "I found a stray dog some weeks ago and tried it on him~"

"A-a stray dog!? Kaolla, how could you!? What did you do to the poor thing!?" Shinobu exclaimed, horrified. For her part, the Molmolese just waved it off.

"Easy, easy~ He's alright! Look, I will show you." Bringing two fingers to her mouth, the princess whistled towards a section of the room's foliage. Seconds later a very happy, very healthy-looking dog came out, wagging its tail. Su began to pet it. "See? He is perfectly fine, and I am even taking care of it."

Upon seeing the scene, Shinobu sighed in relief. "Kaolla, please don't scare me like that before. I know you don't mean it but your experiments often go wrong. It makes people think the worst out of some things you say."

"Noted~" Said Su, still petting the dog's brown fur. "So? Will you help me?"

Shinobu shifted uncomfortably. She really didn't want to risk it, but by the amount of work Su had put into the project, she could tell the girl would keep pestering her until she agreed. That, or she would drag another innocent into her madness and the cook couldn't say which prospect was worse. "You are asking for a lot…"

"Please! What will it take for you to agree? Name your price, and it's yours!" Su had resumed her begging posture, and even the dog was looking at Shinobu pleadingly.

"Did…did you train him to do that or is that just-?"

"Do you want a title of nobility? I can give you one! Gold? A feast? A brand new kitchen? No problem! Do you want slaves? I will give you a hundred!"

"…what?"

"Very well, a thousand then!"

"…you have slaves?"

A shrug. "No, but I can get some if you want."

Shinobu took a long, deep breath to calm herself. This was why playing hard to get with Su, even if you are not playing at all, was a bad idea. She tried too hard, and often ended up causing an even bigger mess than it should have been at the start. And so, the bluenette saw no other option. "…do you really want me to help you?"

Su nodded immediately. "Yes yes yes! More than anything!"

"Then, in exchange for helping you out, you will have to help me make the cake you ate."

The princess saluted. "Deal!"

"And I mean helping. No robots, no weird plans, and no getting too excited. You follow my instructions, and that's it." With her harsh tone and unmoving stance, Shinobu felt very much like a mother.

"Got it!"

"And we are doing this just once. No matter what happens, even if it's nothing, we are not repeating this. Ever."

"Mmmh~Hmmm!"

"And…and…aaand no painting my face while I am unconscious!"

"Aaaaaaw…"

"Kaolla."

"Fine, fine! I agree. Can we do this then?"

A sigh. She was doing that a lot recently, wasn't she? "Yes. Tell me what to do."

Su saluted. "Alright!"

Fifteen minutes later, Shinobu predictively found herself seated down on the chair, her back to the machine. She was strapped down in various places, which Su claimed was for her safety; though being unable to turn around while the ominous hum of the Mecha Seer rose in volume behind her caused her goose bumps.

"Ready Shinobu? First comes the anesthesia. After that you should wake up an hour or so later with memories you don't remember having. Those are future memories! I will help you to sort them out later, ok? Okay~!"

"O-okay…I'm ready." Shinobu wasn't ready.

"Drum roll!" The tanned girl pushed her ever-present, all-doing button and filled her room with the sound of drumming. Shinobu couldn't help but feel she was about to perform a very dangerous stunt the likes of walking on a rope at twenty meters of height.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaand…here we go!" With that statement came the command for the operation to start. Shinobu heard various robotic noises as things she couldn't see emerged from within the tower. She had no time to wonder though, for Su was soon besides her, needle in hand and soaked cotton moving up and down her forearm.

"See ya in an hour, Shinobu!" And then came the sting, the drug entering and spreading through her body. The numbness settled immediately, as did the drowsiness. As she closed her heavy eyes, Maehara Shinobu hoped this ended up going well.

How innocent.

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><p><strong>Month(?) Day(?), Year(?)<strong>

After an unknown amount of time, the sun greeted the cook of the Hinata Dormitories with a headache and a sore behind. Bringing up hers hands to rub at both temples, Shinobu realized she was lying on her back…down on the floor.

"_I know I said you had to help me, but Kaolla, a bed would have been nice. Ugh…I don't feel like working at all right now…"_ Groaning at both the pain in her head and her friend's lack of care, the bluenette decided that the hard floor was not nearly as uncomfortable that she couldn't stay there for a couple more minutes. It seemed Su had moved her to the kitchen, probably to obey her instructions and start with the baking as soon as she woke up. Once she appeared, she would ask her for a pill to rid her headache.

"_Maybe it didn't work after all?" _Shinobu felt none of the 'future memories' Su had advised her to expect. Then again, her head wasn't in top condition at the moment, and the headache may very well be due to a sudden influx of new information. But even after five, ten, and twenty minutes or so passed, all that Shinobu felt was a pain in her brain that wouldn't go away.

_"I knew this was a bad idea…" _Only the heavens above knew what was happening to her brain now. It felt as though on fire, sending wave after wave of pain and discomfort down her body. Curled and holding tightly onto her head, the cook knew she couldn't just lay there any longer.

"_Doctor…I need someone to check me. Whatever Kaolla's machine did to me…I need medical attention…"_ The pain was not receeding; in fact, as she struggled to stand up on her weakened legs, it grew worse. The world was swirling all around her, and the kitchen was suffocating. _"Air…I need some fresh air…"_

Shinobu tried to walk outside but she kept constantly bumping into obstacles on her way, her feet shaking and unsteady. Everything looked weird; taller, spinning. And the more she walked, the worse it got.

"…Kaolla…Kaollaaa?" Shinobu tried calling out to her friend, but her voice was weak and it easily left her without breath. She was panting now, and it was getting harder to inhale. "…Kaolla…where are you…? …I…need…" She stopped talking due to a sudden urge to vomit. Fortunately, by that point the door was nearby so she grasped and pushed it aside with some effort, falling into the sun outside on her hands and knees.

"_Just what…is happening to…me?"_ Shinobu could only stare at the ground as beads of sweat ran down her forehead and fell below. They made a rythmic sound, which got louder and louder by the second, until she realized that she was actually hearing steps coming up the long flight of stairs.

"So this must be it…" Weakly, Shinobu raised her head to look at the voice's owner. If there was anyone around, she had to ask for help. "…the inn that my grandmother runs…"

What greeted her sight was none other than her one and only Urashima-sempai. He looked as distorted as everything else. His appearance was different somehow, and his voice sounded slightly off. But she told herself it was because of her current condition. By all accounts even her own voice sounded wrapped, holding a higher pitch than it usually did.

It didn't matter. Rather, she had to call out to him. "…Sempai…"

"The Hinata." Keitaro finished, finally done gazing at the building. Which was how he managed to spot the pale, sweat drenched, panting girl knelt just in front of the entrance. She looked like she already had a foot in the grave, so his reaction was expected. **"W-W-W-W-WHAT THE-!?"**

Keitaro's horrified surprise went either unspotted or unchecked by Shinobu, for she simply opened her mouth to call out to him again, this time adding the first name. "Keitaro-sempai…help…me." Her energies were running out; even using her arms to support herself was growing harder under the sun's heat and her own throbbing head.

She dropped, finally at her limit, gaze back towards the ground. It might be her imagination, but she thought some of the sweat drops had turned red at some point. Touching her nose, she realized there was blood coming out of it.

Shinobu felt something touch her trembling form with hesitation, and heard a voice say something that she couldn't make out. Everything was just too confusing and painful.

She was lifted then, the sudden movement making her groan weakly. Shinobu's head hung limp, eyes still open only due to the effort it would take her to close them. It was thus that the bluenette managed to take a look at her reflection in the dormitory's window, which was as distorted as everything had been after waking up.

Because there was no way her body could be that small; not hers. Not at nineteen. It couldn't be…unless…

Unless…

"…_oh…"_ Whatever Shinobu realized at that moment was lost to her as darkness claimed a tired mind and she lost consciousness. Her last thought before fainting was of how she hoped that upon waking up, this had all been just a bad dream.

Poor thing should have known better by now.

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><p><strong>Closing Notes: That's that. This was the prologue only. If you cared to read Ragnell's original fic then you must have seen that there are some changes in how things play out. These will be addressed later in the story.<strong>

**Feel free to review and I hope you liked to read this. Have a nice day.**


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Sorry. I uploaded a day later than planned. I will try not to repeat it.**

**A thanks to all of those who favorited, followed and reviewed. For the prologue of under 5,000 words, that was a surprise. You guys and gals are awesome.**

**Nothing else to say. Again, any mistakes you spot with the writting feel free to bring up. Without further ado, the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: You ALL know what this is. I don't see why write it everytime I make a chapter.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Rendezvous<strong>

**October 19th, 1998**

Shinobu was pleased to learn that, upon waking _this_ time around, she wasn't victim of an agonizing headache. The fact that she seemed to be upon a soft bed only lifted her spirits even further, so she was sure that once she opened her eyes the bluenette would be inside her room, having woken up from just some silly nightmare.

Needless to say, that's not what happened. As a plus though, a hospital wasn't all that bad.

"W-wha…where…?" That was all she could bring herself to say. Her throat was dry, and the confusion made her incapable of forming full sentences.

She heard some surprised gasps, and turned her gaze from the hospital's ceiling and towards the group of people inside the room with her. Kitsune reached the bedside first. "Hey there hun, how are you feeling?" The committed drunk rarely used such a soft voice, which told Shinobu that no, she wasn't asleep when the fainting thing happened.

The rest of the girls remained silent in order to hear her reply; all but Su, who was mid-way of launching herself upon the cook with a "Shinobuuuuu~" but had been intercepted by Motoko, who now held her by her shirt's neck.

"I…I-***cough***" Understanding her unspoken request, Haruka gave her a glass of fresh water which she greedily drank down in big, quick gulps. Feeling her throat well once more, she thanked the older woman before replying. "I am fine, thanks. Um…what exactly happened?" Shinobu now knew something had occurred, but her memories were still a mess and she had no idea what to make from them.

Not to mention that, in all honestly, she didn't feel 'fine' at all. Not bad either, but her body just felt…_weird_.

"The doctors have no idea, yet." This time, it was Haruka who took the word. "They think it could have been a heat stroke, but they are not sure." Shinobu didn't have to wonder why. She had taken various first-aid courses over her school career and knew the symptoms matched. Problem was, she had no medical record of heat-related attacks and they were in the middle of the fall season; hardly a time to dehydrate.

In hindsight, she must have been quite a medical mystery to the personnel here.

"And so…what now?"

"Well, currently, they can't say there's anything wrong with you. You made a quick…okay, very quick recovery and you seem to be back to normal. But given the sudden nature of whatever attack you suffered they don't want to discharge you just yet." Haruka sighed. "They want you to stay here for observation a couple days, just to make sure you are alright. A week at most."

Shinobu nodded. Her energies were not fully restored yet so she decided to lie back upon the bed and take some time to clear her mind. The girls seemed to have no more idea about what had occurred than Shinobu herself did, so asking them for details was futile. Trying to focus on the memory was no better either; there was so much confusion and contradiction within it, almost as if her own mind was somehow trying to protect Shinobu from it.

She closed her eyes, her frown no doubt convincing her visitors that she still needed to rest. She heard Haruka comment on how they should leave her to rest now, and the girls agree hesitantly.

Motoko and Naru appeared to want to stay longer out of some feeling of protection towards her. That didn't surprise her at all, as it had always been that way between them. It was just so that Shinobu inspired a desire to protect from most people.

Kitsune seemed to be glad she had woken up at all, and even commented how they should start preparing something to welcome her back once Shinobu got discharged. Su was simply being-

"**!"**

Shinobu, suddenly and breathlessly, bolted up towards a sitting position. Her neck was stiff, her eyes wide, and her body in general was tense like a drawn bow. The girls were startled by her movement, and remained in silent surprise until Haruka once again spoke. "Shi…Shinobu, dear, is everything alright? If you want to, I-"

The bluenette didn't hear the rest of the sentence, unconsciously ignoring everything and everyone to focus solely upon one thing: her friend Kaolla Su, who she just now realized was small enough to be lifted by Motoko by the neck of her shirt.

The girl was no longer being carried, although the kendoka still held unto her to make sure Su didn't tackle Shinobu in her excitement. She was looking at her friend with a curious expression, clearly intrigued as much as the rest by the cook's sudden bolt. Shinobu saw nothing but her foreign friend, taking every grain of brain power she possessed and siccing them upon her figure. Yet, no matter how intently she stared, the Molmolese stared back with that curious gaze of hers.

And no matter how long Shinobu looked at her friend, Su didn't stop looking impossibly, illogically like a prepubescent girl.

As far as she had known, their ages had always matched.

The memories and facts came flooding then like a river breaking through the dam of her mind, no longer halted by a girl's instinctive unwillingness to acknowledge the truth.

The pieces fell into place. The Mecha Seer, and Su's explanation about its functions. The confusion of facts, and Shinobu's inability to construct a sole chronological timeline of the events. Her strange voice, her weird-feeling body, Su's rejuvenated figure and the world's noticeable increase in size.

Everything pointed to a single, logical, yet illogical and impossible conclusion. And Shinobu had to press a hand against her mouth to stop herself from voicing it.

She faintly registered she was trembling now, eyes no longer looking at anything present. She picked up her legs, curling her _small_ body, mind racing in chaos and panic.

"Shinobu-chan? Shinobu-chan! What's happening!?"

"Her heart-rate is skyrocketing! Motoko, help me ease her down!"

"Right! Shinobu, please calm down and return to rest."

"What is it Shinobu!? Is it pain? Does anything hurt?"

"Naru, go find a nurse!"

"R-right!"

She heard voices and sounds, but her mind didn't register them. Whether they be questions, worried exclamations, or the accelerated beeping of the machine that displayed her heart beats, none got through her shock.

She felt hands touch and hold her, moving her back to lie upon the bed. She didn't resist them, but neither did she comply with them; like a doll, she wouldn't move by herself.

Shinobu couldn't tell what happened then, or how much time passed. Her mind was still in chaos; a scared part of her that refused to accept the situation, a skeptic one that kept insisting on how impossible it all was, and a composed one that calmly told her she already knew the answer. Arguments and prayers alike popped up one after another and all the cook could do was to let them flow on, neither denying nor accepting them.

Something embraced her then, her head now in the motherly cradle of a pair of arms. Shinobu blinked, out of her trance, and looked up to see the uncharacteristically kind smile of Kaolla Su. "Don't worry Shinobu. I told you, didn't I? Everything will turn out alright.~"

Her eyes widened, realizing that her friend-that Kaolla _knew_. By all means, she shouldn't. But even so, Su knew about her. About what was happening to her. About-…about…

Shinobu's racing thoughts came to a halt then, drowsiness settling in where panic had once reigned. If it was due to mental exhaustion, someone applying anesthesia to her, or Su knocking her out, the cook never knew.

All she could do as she closed her eyes was to keep looking at her still-smiling friend, and the wink she threw at her.

This time around, Shinobu welcomed unconsciousness with open arms.

* * *

><p>Her remaining days of medical examination were decisively less eventful than the first one had. Shinobu made sure to keep herself calm and collected after the scene in her first night, where she had almost earned herself additional time inside the hospital. In the end, she managed to convince the girls that she had misinterpreted her situation due to a lack of knowledge on the subject and had come to the mistaken conclusion that her condition was a lot worse than it actually was, panicking as a result.<p>

The nurses were still doubtful about her, though, and had put her through various checkups through the week's remaining days before discharging her. The girls had visited her at times, either alone or as a group, but once she had assured them that there really had been nothing wrong other than a slight overreaction they had moved on to other things, waiting for her return.

Her parents called her, too, putting aside their quarrels to inquire about how their little girl was doing. Shinobu could swear they had been more alarmed at the situation than she had (and **she** was the one time-travelling), bombarding her with question after question. Was she eating well? Could it be that stress had caused her attack? Was she really alright living by herself? Where was Granny Hina through all this?

And so went on the phone calls for what she felt were hours. In the end, Haruka had contacted Granny and explained to her the situation, asking that she give a call to her parents to soothe their worries. Shinobu never knew what was said then, but her parents kept themselves for ordering her into moving back with one of them and instead had arranged it so that they would be coming over on her birthday next November.

It was all a bit overwhelming for her, though, making her sigh various times a day as she lay in bed. Her parents had not been this attentive…_last_ time around. They had even been too busy to call on her birthday, adding to her depression that day, and had needed a full day before either could realize they had a call and an apology to make.

Of course, Shinobu being herself, all had been forgiven soon and the three had spent an evening together. Now though, she had mixed feeling about the situation. On one hand, she was touched to see her parents really could be as attentive as she wished they always were. On the other, it was a bit sad to know just what it took for them to remember they had a daughter living alone somewhere in the Hinata Dormitories. For one brief moment, Shinobu had understood what those kids who purposefully got into trouble to gather attention felt like.

In the end, however, it didn't matter. She couldn't muster anything resembling anger for her mother and father, and was somehow looking forward to seeing them next month. The hospital wasn't bad either; sure, the food wasn't of the quality she was used to (hers, to be specific) but it was tasty in a way. Schoolwork wasn't an issue either as one of her classmates brought the day's work to Haruka's teashop, which the woman made sure to hand over to her during her daily visits.

Given the fact that Shinobu was at college level intellectually speaking, her homework got done with ease.

But it was **that** last bit precisely what prevented the bluenette from being able to find peace of mind.

She had turned it over and over in her head, looking at the situation from all possible angles. It could have been all just a dream; after all, she had no fully certain way of proving anything. Nobody remembered with precision what happened every day six years ago. It could also be that Su had experimented on her from this time period, rather than in the future. Maybe the Mecha Seer had worked as intended, and her current memories were actually from a future she had not yet experienced physically.

Or, just maybe, she was simply going insane.

When the alternative was brought up, that wasn't too out of the picture.

But at the root of the problem, all of that didn't matter. What mattered was that she had a bunch of knowledge that had come from _somewhere_, and she had no idea what to do with it. Shinobu had even tested its veracity, braving up and asking Haruka as she was leaving one day if she had ever known a man called Noriyasu Seta.

"…Shinobu, where did you hear that name?" The woman had asked with an apprehensive look.

All she had managed to give Haruka was a horribly bad lie that he had dropped by her school one day. Of course that didn't explain how she would have known about a connection between the two and the woman had not eaten her explanation for a second, but had in the end decided to let her be…for now.

Another issue was that Shinobu had not seen a glimpse from Su throughout the week. She knew her friend was always busying herself with crazy projects and the like, but that didn't erase from her memory the wink Su had given her nor the words that had preceded it.

The Molmolese princess knew something, and purposefully avoided telling Shinobu just what it was. Which was why, finally free from her hospital stay, the young cook was determined to get some answers out of the foreign girl come hell or high water.

The party, though, had completely slipped her mind.

"**WELCOME BACK, SHINOBU-CHAN!"**

Noise, cheers and confetti greeted the 13-year old the second she opened the door to the Hinata, having just been driven by Haruka from the hospital. The living room was, as was usual when the girls made a celebration, filled with decorations and games, furniture moved to the walls and corners to make room for them to walk unobstructed.

There were snacks, drinks, Kitsune's ever-present alcohol, and they had even turned the karaoke machine on for the occasion. Shinobu could even spot a first aid kit by Motoko's right, the kendoka seemingly ready to assist her should another emergency arise.

The cook couldn't say she wasn't touched, because with all the madness going around the place it was weird for the girls to get together to plan anything. It spoke volumes that they had even prepared snacks without Shinobu around to cook.

"What? Those? Nah, we just ordered them from some place I know downt-**OUCH!**" Such was the answer Kitsune gave when the bluenette commented on the topic, the alcohol having started to loosen lips before being silenced by Naru's head slap.

"Watch what you say! This was supposed to be a **homemade** surprise!" Complained the redhead, and both best friends descended into a light-hearted argument which Shinobu couldn't help but giggle at. It was good to be back to the usual silliness of the Hinata; it felt comfortable after a week away from the world she knew so well.

It also helped as a distraction from the pit in her stomach and her inquisitive mind. Even with the unexpected turn of events, Shinobu had not forgotten her mission and had at various times spied on Su.

The girl had of course welcomed her back along with the rest, happily exclaiming how happy she was that her friend and playmate was back; and yes, she had happily mentioned how happy she was. A single happiness was never enough for Kaolla Su.

Afterwards, though, her behavior had not strayed far away from the norm. That is to say, Su was still as voracious and hyperactive as ever, with Motoko as the sole wall between her and the end of all party snacks.

There were no out-of-place comments or secretive gazes.

Su rarely took things seriously, but that only made her actions that more obvious when she did. And having spent more than half a decade living under the same roof, Shinobu was more than equipped to spot the signs.

But ten minutes into the party, as a slightly drunk Kitsune was warming her up to the idea of being the night's karaoke debut, the foreigner had not given Shinobu any indications like the one from the week's start. The cook also knew better than to suddenly ask to talk with her in private while the rest of the girls watched, which was why she had resigned herself to the celebration and postponed the interrogation until the next day.

Tomorrow was a Sunday anyways.

"_So then…why do I feel like this?"_

Shinobu absentmindedly placed a hand over her belly, rubbing it. Ever since opening the door, a feeling akin to nausea had been forming inside her stomach. At first, the cook had concluded it was due to her business with Su. Yet even after coming to terms with the delay the sensation didn't go away; if anything, it was getting worse.

It felt like the day of her high school graduation, with her having to give a speech to the people attending and nervously waiting in her seat for the principal to name her. By the time she had walked up to the podium, Shinobu had been afraid she would puke into the microphone. And while that occasion had ended up fine she wasn't so sure about the current one.

It could very well be a relapse, yet this time being a stomachache rather than a headache. Perhaps it was the sight of the kitchen that was the cause, reminding her of the painful memory. Perhaps, it was Su doing something to her; maybe even again, depending on what the foreigner confessed to during tomorrow's interrogation.

Whatever it was, it was making Shinobu's heart beat faster. And because she was determined to not make a scene a third time in a row, the bluenette was about to excuse herself to the toilet when her eyes spotted…him.

"Sempai…" Her mouth moved before her brain, and even though it had only whispered the honorific the entire room somehow heard it. The girls were looking at her now, alternating between confused and curious gazes. But despite the attention, Shinobu couldn't tear her eyes from the man's.

Keitaro was standing in the room's corner, beverage in hand. He looked awkward, glancing around the room and at her without really knowing what to do or say; a stranger amongst close friends. Her sudden attention on him drove his feeling of discomfort even further, as evidenced when he started scratching his head. Yet he, too, couldn't somehow move his eyes away. In a tangible silence that could be tasted in the air, the cook and the ronin kept staring at each other for various long seconds.

If it wasn't so ridiculous, the scene might have been out of a movie screen.

"Shinobu-chan…do you know him?" Naru asked, frowning. And once again, Shinobu moved to speak without thinking.

"Of course I do. He is Sem-" She stopped herself then, finally realizing that given the circumstances, this was the first time the two of them had ever met…if you didn't count the day of her arrival to the time period. Nervously moving to stare at the floor, she let the rest of the word drift out. "…pai…"

She could feel her cheeks burning, and the pit in her stomach was like the flapping of a thousand butterfly wings. Her heart was going at full speed. _"…so that's what it was…"_

Again came the silence, and again it felt eternal. No one knew what to say, with Shinobu too embarrassed and the girls too perplexed to ask what was on everyone's mind: how? And the cook was dismayed to realize she had no credible answer to that.

And just then, Keitaro spoke. "Um…you must be Maehara-san, correct?" He took a tentative step forward, hand still in his head and scratching away. He looked as awkward as Shinobu felt, yet somehow managed to make words come out of his mouth. "I…I know it is weird of me to ask but…have we met before?"

Shinobu looked at him, internally debating which would sound like the most impossible notion: that they hadn't, but she just called strangers that way; that they hadn't, but she had confused him with someone else; or that they had, and Keitaro had simply forgotten.

Given the bits and pieces she could recall of his arrival (the second version, that is), and the answer she had just given Naru, it seemed it would have to be the third option.

"Um…yes, but only briefly." She said. Everyone's attention was still glued to her, silently asking her to elaborate further. "…it…was…while you were on the way to the exam." Shinobu said the first thing that came to her head; after all, before arriving to the Hinata she didn't know what Keitaro had done or the places he had frequented other than Tokyo U. "I dropped some of my grocery bags and you were passing by and helped me."

The girls still looked confused, but at the very least not doubtful of her story. More like, they were simply put off by the random coincidence instead of being suspicious of Shinobu. Keitaro, too, looked like he had bought it. "Is…is that so…?" The ronin looked ashamed now, no longer able to meet her gaze.

"I…" She heard him take a deep breath, and suddenly, Keitaro was bowing his head. "I am ashamed to admit it, but I had forgotten about our meeting! I…I deeply apologize!"

Shinobu didn't know what to say. She felt guilty that her lies had made him feel the need to ask for her forgiveness, but she couldn't just retract herself at this point. "It's…nothing, really. It happens to everyone Sempai." Too late, she remembered the honorific told a different story about their 'brief' meeting.

"Thank you for those words, though it was still rude of me." Finally straightening up, Keitaro smiled at her before the uncomfortable silence came back. At this point, Shinobu was praying for any of the girls to say anything.

When none did, she continued trying to make small talk. She felt like crying. "So…ah…what are you doing here…sempai?"

"Ah, well, you see. My grandmother runs this place, and she sort of…let me stay." Granny had, of course, done much more than letting him stay, as Naru's incredulous gaze implied. "I…am the manager now, in fact."

"I…see…" Whatever the reaction they had been expecting from her, stiff approval was certainly not it. She would have to ask after the story later from the girls in order to not raise more suspicion, but that wouldn't erase the fact that the 13-year old Shinobu Maehara should have been a lot more startled by the news, shy and sensitive as she was.

When the silence came back a fourth time, the cook looked around the room for anything that she could comment about. She feared she might pass out at any second, and wanted whatever excuse she could find to end the conversation.

"Would…would you like to sing karaoke?" She asked in the end, hoping it would be enough.

"Ahh…karaoke? I…I would be pleased but…uh…I am not a good singer." A scratch.

"It's…it's okay. Neither am I."

"Is-is that so?"

"Yeah. Hehe…hehe…"

"Hehe…hehe…"

As they both stood there, awkwardly laughing at themselves to keep the silence at bay, Shinobu prayed the ground would swallow her up soon.

* * *

><p>"Ah…so that's what happened." The story concluded, Shinobu plopped back into the couch, looking from the corner of her eye as a now drunk Kitsune and a merry Su encored Keitaro for another song.<p>

After their painful first (second?) meeting, Shinobu had avoided her sempai out of fear of her own nerves frying themselves. The girls had, of course, been highly curious about the situation, but had politely abstained from giving rise to questions; or at least, until the party was over. Instead, Motoko and Naru had narrated to her about his arrival this week.

Putting aside the bits she already knew, such as Keitaro being an Urashima, Shinobu was both surprised and a bit worried of how her attack that day had altered his first day in the Hinata.

Apparently, after Shinobu had fainted Keitaro had carried her over to the couch inside (the very one she was sitting at the moment, in fact). With his knowledge of first aids he had controlled her bleeding and had even made enough of a ruckus to attract the girls to the scene.

Needless to say, they had been alarmed at a stranger's presence inside the Hinata, but their shock and worry at seeing Shinobu passed out and drenched in sweat had been enough to keep them from (violently) expelling him from the premises.

Soon enough Haruka had arrived afterwards and a call for an ambulance was made at her instruction. They had transported her over to the hospital, and the girls had remained with her until she had woken up near dusk.

By the time they had come back home, Keitaro; who had been left behind at Haruka's teashop; had received enough time to calm down and think things over, and had related his story to everyone when asked.

Learning of his blood relation to Granny had come as a shocker to the girls, especially after Haruka confirmed the claim. The woman had also explained the dormitory's situation to her nephew, such as the owner being on a world-wide trip and the place now being exclusively for female tenants.

Yet even with all that, Keitaro had been allowed to stay. Despite their apprehension the girls had acknowledged the fact that he had helped Shinobu during an emergency; even further once they considered that if it hadn't been for him getting their attention, none of them would have realized their cook friend was lying outside passed out under the sun until Haruka had come up the stairs.

As such, and due to his status as an Urashima, the girls had agreed to him staying over at the Hinata as a show of gratitude for his help. Three days later, he had been named the official manager.

"I never thought Granny would do something like that." Began Naru. "I mean, I know she is at the age to retire but I was sure she would leave Haruka in charge."

"Perhaps, she thought that his quick action during an emergency spoke of his qualities as manager." Motoko answered, her voice also holding some lingering complaint about the situation. Both seemed like they had accepted the current way of things, but still felt it was justified to raise doubts about it.

Shinobu knew that with time, it would pass. It had taken her a month to grow used to Keitaro's presence herself.

"Speaking of which, Shinobu." Motoko called for his attention. The three of them were on the couch, some distance away from the other half of the attendants. Shinobu turned towards the kendoka, already nervous about the question.

She would give anything for time to get her story straight.

"If it's not too much for you, I would like to know about the incident some more. In specific, about what you were doing outside at the moment or how Urashima…-san, managed to chance upon you as you fainted."

The bluenette audibly gulped. She would like to say she had nothing to hide, but the truth was much crueler. And she couldn't very well tell them both about the Mecha Seer; they would send her right back to the hospital and into the psychiatry ward. Shinobu knew, deep down, that she was acting too fidgety with a matter that was not that hard to explain. But in her current emotional turmoil, what she wanted was time to think about it. She was not ready to answer questions.

"I…I don't really remember Motoko. It's all so confusing…" That's what she settled for in the end, not ready to give a full explanation. She watched as the kendoka opened her mouth to inquire again on the subject, and quickly said the first excuse that came to her head…again.

This was just not the day for premeditated actions.

"Wh-who wants dinner!?" She asked a little too enthusiastically, interrupting the karaoke singing.

"…come again, Shinobu-chan?"

"It-it's getting late already, and I have been neglecting my duties so…uh…I was thinking that perhaps-" She never got to finish, as a shiver suddenly run down her spine.

Looking around, the girls were staring at her with…unreadable expressions. There was some dangerous intensity behind them; Su's above them all; and Shinobu meditated, once more, that perhaps she had spoken too hastily.

"…Shinobu…you will make us dinner?" Su asked, rising from her usual crouch to a standing position. Her eyes held none of the mirth they usually did, and a trail of drool was making its way downwards from her open mouth.

It hit her then.

"Girls…what have you been eating this week?" The faces of the Hinata's tenants shadowed, each of them recalling a painful, distant memory. Even Keitaro, the newcomer, seemed to have acquired his own scars already.

"Take out." Started Motoko, hand over her belly.

"Instant noodles." Admitted Keitaro, tears threatening to escape his eyes.

"Naru's spaghetti sandwiches." Said Kitsune, fist clenched.

"Hey! You said those were tasty!" Came the complaint.

"I was desperate Naru!" A pause. Mitsune Konno looked close to sobbing. "The bread was too much for that amount of pasta. It totally took away the taste! You barely put any condiments into the thing!"

"Why would I put those into my lunch? I'm busy with studying you know? I don't have time to do exercise. What do you think will happen if I don't watch what I eat?"

"That was not a time for you to go under diet, Naru! We were starving! You wouldn't have gained weight even if you tried, unless-" The resident trickster paused then, a look of horror setting on her face. "Naru…don't tell me…" Beat. Kitsune struck a shocked pose. **"You've gotten fat!?"**

"**How dare you say those things!? I Have NOT-"**

It was at this point that, thinking about her personal safety, Shinobu retreated into the kitchen. She left the living room with Naru and Kitsune in the middle of their argument, Motoko in silent prayer, Su drooling and Keitaro crying tears of misery over the memory of his recent meals.

"_I'm back home. Definitely."_

* * *

><p>That night, Shinobu fell on her bed with a red face, a racing heart…and an ecstatic feeling in her chest.<p>

Dinner had gone great. No, even more than great, it had been spectacular. Tears of sheer joy had been shed over the food she had prepared, and Su had single-handedly emptied half the rations before being stopped by Motoko; and even the kendoka herself had struggled all through the meal to not break table etiquette and dive into the food.

There had been compliments and comments of gratitude and relief about her return. Certainly, the Hinata dormitories had been saved from a nutritional catastrophe by Shinobu, who had put all of her years of experience (Both past and future), into the task.

Still, she was impressed beef bowls with rice had earned such praise.

The bluenette had fled into the kitchen out of discomfort at the time, and upon getting there she had started pondering just what to prepare for six people at such a short notice. Her mind had wandered then, drifting back to her current situation and the feeling that she was forgetting something important. Something had yelled at her from inside, claiming that she was getting distracted with-

"_Sempai…~"_ Shinobu gave a sigh heavy with warmth and giddiness, remembering his expression during the meal.

She had prepared the bowls without really noticing; only remembering that they were his favorite shortly before she was done. The cook had told herself that it hadn't been on purpose; that it was simply the best she could do with such little time and the ingredients at hand.

But that sounded like a filthy excuse when she recalled his joyous face, and the excited praise he had showered her with. _"This is great, Shinobu-chan! The best I've ever had!"_

Keitaro had complimented her food with an enthusiasm that she hadn't seen in years; not for her meals, at least, as he grew used to the quality over time. Not only that, but he had even slipped out of the formality that had permeated his speech since their meeting hours ago, and the girls were too busy eating to so much as raise their eyebrows at the gesture!

Shinobu could count with the fingers of her hand how many times in her life she had felt this happy.

"Oooohhh…just what is going on with me?" She asked herself between soft giggles, not a hint of distress in her voice. Shinobu of course knew the answer to that question; but the moment was too sweet right now. Why spoil it with self-reflection then when it could be done tomorrow?

The bluenette knew there were matters to address; options to consider and things to take in mind. She was Maehara Shinobu, young woman of nineteen and student of Tokyo University, currently stuck six years in the past with a body that was and at the same time wasn't hers.

But right now, with a cloud of butterflies flying wildly inside her, she was Maehara Shinobu, a girl of thirteen blushing over her first love; and she wasn't letting any deep thoughts ruin the sensation for her. Not tonight.

That October Saturday, Shinobu went to bed happy for the first time since her arrival, and enjoyed a multitude of wonderful dreams.

Su completely slipped her mind come morning.

* * *

><p><strong>CN: Nothing like Shinobu and Keitaro being awkward, and her acting like a girl in love.<strong>

**Oh, wait, that's what she is.**

**Next chapter, Shinobu is thrown even further into confusion by Su. Who would have guessed? (==Sarcasm)**


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: So, apparently, my goal of uploading once a week lasted 2 Chapters! Woop!**

**I'm such a horrible person...**

**I would like to say this is no longer going to be the case. But those of you who are in college know the amount of stuff they ask of you from one moment to the next. So all I can promise...is that Chapter 3 won't take this long to write.**

**Once again, sorry, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. As I rushed to get it ready, you might find some grammar horrors. Please point them out if you can. Good day (or night)!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Diverge<strong>

**November 11th, 1998**

In Konno Mitsune's honest opinion, life was meant to be fun. Many people called that an excuse to laze around (and in all honesty, it kind of was) but that didn't invalidate her point. You never knew what would come later on in life, nor what awaited those who kicked the bucket. And so, she had decided long ago that she didn't want to look back on her life and claim she let the opportunity for joy slip by. She didn't want to be that one granny who tells her grandchild in her death bed how much she regrets not having tried this or that years ago.

Never had the Hinata's local trickster been so glad that she had made such a choice, because at that very moment, the scene before her was a gold mine of entertainment value.

Not three days since Shinobu had been discharged from the hospital and already the new manager's life was in peril. But surprisingly it wasn't because of the clumsiness he had displayed since his arrival; rather, the risk currently hanging over his head was thanks to none other than Shinobu herself.

The girl was in love; there wasn't any other way to cut it. That welcome party night Kitsune had almost developed an internal ulcer trying not to laugh her ass off at the sheer awkwardness of their resident cook and their new manager talking. And it might have been her desperation for good food talking, but dinner afterwards had tasted a little too glorious for Shinobu to not have been trying hard. That she ended up making their manager's favorite meal (Seriously? Beef and rice bowls?) only cemented her suspicions further.

The following couple of days, all possibility of Mitsune having misinterpreted the situation flew out the window. Their blue haired friend woke the man early by knocking on his door, always had breakfast done and ready by the time he came down, and even prepared snacks for his study sessions.

Oh sure, the girl tried to hide her blatant crush. She extended the morning calls to Naru, made sure to have all their morning foods ready rather than only Keitaro's, and even tried to pretend her snacks were meant for everyone and not just him. But if Kitsune had learned something in the few months Shinobu had been a resident in the dormitory, it was that she was a horrible actor and a worse liar. That she tried to pretend there was nothing different about her behavior only made the whole thing more obvious. It didn't take a genius to notice the changes from her shy, secluded and introverted self weeks ago from her equally shy but more decisive and proactive side now.

Before, Shinobu simply lived in the dormitory. She cooked, she did the laundry, she interacted with the other residents, but it seemed she did so only because it was her role; a simple job that had to be done. Now though, she actively sought to excel at her assigned chores, imprinting visible effort at anything she did. As for the why? Well, for the praise of course. The girl was clearly trying to impress their new manager and earn his compliments; which she did, and boy did she bask on them.

Because Keitaro, too, seemed unable to be simple in his displays of gratitude.

He claimed to be impressed at how much Shinobu did at her age while living without parents, and most of all how well she did it. Kitsune had yet to hear a simple _'thanks Shinobu-chan. It was good'_. No, it was always _'this is fantastic, Shinobu-chan'_ or _'you are seriously amazing, Shinobu-chan'_. The man obviously meant nothing more with those words; he simply admired their resident chef in her field. But had it been anyone else, Kitsune would have been sure the man was flirting with their friend.

And not to forget was the manner they addressed each other. Somewhere around the evening of their second day of living under the same roof the man had settled for 'Shinobu-chan' instead of the more proper 'Maehara-san', while Shinobu herself kept slipping back to 'Urashima-sempai'. Really, if life were a romantic comedy, _this_ would be how everyone acted.

Oh, but that alone wasn't all that funny. Sure, watching the girl's obvious crush and the man's obliviousness to it was able to give her a few chuckles, but the true meat of the matter came from both Motoko and Naru.

Kitsune was eternally grateful at how both girls seemed to hit the perfect balance between awareness and obliviousness. They, too, realized something was going on with Shinobu; and that said something involved their new manager. However, Motoko seemed unwilling to consider that Shinobu merely had a crush, while Naru looked more suspicious of Keitaro, no doubt wondering what his intentions were.

Neither could see the man held no ulterior motives.

Of course, Kitsune wasn't just going to point that out.

As a result, the Hinata's current situation could be described as followed: Shinobu was too busy being in love, their manager too busy being dense, and the local man-danger-awareness duo too preoccupied with observing the two of them for any sign of perverted behavior. This left Kitsune with a sole, simple yet also sweet task: sitting back and watching.

It also let Su steal food without anyone realizing. It was only fair the white-haired trickster wasn't the only one having fun.

"Sempai, would you like any seconds?" Asked the cook, herself halfway done with her breakfast. It was fascinating how her feelings showed in the little things. Shinobu would usually ask the same out of everyone, but only after the person eating announced they were done. That she spoke up the moment Keitaro was done meant that she had been paying attention.

It was a good thing the girl was so cute. Otherwise, it would be creepy.

"Ah, no thanks Shinobu-chan. It wouldn't be right to abuse." And there it was, the by-now trademark head scratch.

"It's really not a bother Sempai. I made plenty."

A cough echoed through the room. "Sorry to interrupt Shinobu, but I too am done with my breakfast." Said Motoko.

"Ah! Should I pick up your dishes?" Upon the cheerfully-asked question, Kitsune covered her mouth to prevent her laughter.

The kendoka's face was deadpan. "Actually, I would be grateful for seconds. I am afraid I feel hungrier this morning for some reason." Besides her, Su did her best to appear innocent as she finished slurping on a noodle, her own plate and bowl emptied clean.

But of course, Motoko hadn't picked up on that. No doubt she instead blamed Keitaro for her hunger…somehow. That's the way her mind worked anyways.

"Ah! O-of course Motoko!"

As Shinobu got up to go to the kitchen, their foreign girl spoke up. "Me too Shinobu! I want seconds!"

The cook answered with a frown. "Su, haven't you had enough?"

"Nooope!~"

And that's as far as the complaint got.

Shinobu disappeared into the kitchen to get the extra servings, and meanwhile the table went back to silence; a normal occurrence since Keitaro's arrival. Said ronin blinked when he finally noticed Naru watching (Glaring at) him. Before he could say anything, the brunette huffed and got up, done eating.

All in all, a fairly uneventful breakfast. Then again, it was always entertaining seeing Shinobu too distracted with the manager to care for the rest of the world around here. And, most importantly, tensions were getting higher. Something would happen any time now.

And Kitsune had a front seat row prepared for the event.

* * *

><p>Shinobu would be the first to admit that yes, she had been acting strangely the last few days.<p>

…alright, VERY strangely.

So strange, in fact, that she didn't even realize the girls where obviously going to start asking questions about it.

It was just…ever since she had re-met Keitaro, something in her had been pushing her to spend time with her sempai, even in the little things she already interacted with him at back in her original timeline.

Perhaps it was the fact that this Keitaro was so unused to the Shinobu the other had helped create. It was certainly nice hearing his awed voice at her skill in the house chores, and his heartfelt thanks always lifted her spirits.

It could also be this time period's Shinobu. That had been a predominant thought in her mind lately: the possibility that some part of the past Shinobu remained within her which hadn't fused with her completely. Perhaps it was a mixture of that Shinobu's sensitivity and inexperience in love with her own hard-earned confidence which she had lacked for a long time.

Or Su was to blame.

That was always a very real possibility.

It would also make sense. The thought of confronting her on the matter had been popping up throughout the last week, but each time she either had other matters to attend or got into a chat with Keitaro. If anyone stood to gain something from her distraction, it was the Molmolese.

Thankfully, yesterday's bath had been a waking call for her. Naru and Motoko had not so subtly asked her if there was anything going on with Keitaro. And she had quickly responded with a calm, premeditated answer.

"_I-i-it's nothing. W-why do you ask Naru-sempai?"_

Okay yes, so maybe she hadn't been all that calm. And perhaps she had been blushing a bit too much (She blamed the hot springs for that). But she had honestly not expected such questioning. Though, given her attitude the last few days…yeah, hindsight was 20/20.

Sighing, the bluenette feared she had only made the situation even more suspicious for the girls. She would have to think up of something. For now though…

She knocked thrice. "Kaolla, are you free right now? I need to ta-"

"Play with me?"

"Yes…wait, no, I mean-" Shinobu paused, and turned to see a smiling Su right beside her. "Aaaaah!" She yelled, eloquently.

"Shh! Shinobu, Kitsune is sleeping downstairs." Came the playful scolding. "Don't be so loud!~" Su said, loudly.

"I…wha…" Shaking her head, Shinobu reminded herself of what she had come for. "Kaolla, I need to speak with you."

"About time travel?"

"Ah-…" Another stunned silence, with Shinobu gaping with eyes wide, not having expected it to be said so openly. The Molmolese, for her part, simply stood there with a small and sweet smile, looking like the harmless little girl she would like you to believe.

A part of Shinobu realized the girl was playing with her, but before she could find her voice, Su spun around and opened her room's door.

"Come right in then!~ I don't have tea to offer, but I have bananas!~" And with that, the girl merrily strolled inside, looking way too carefree even for Kaolla Su's standards.

"…..hmph!" Pouting, Shinobu followed. Somehow, she had never been able to prevent her friend from messing around with her whenever she pleased. That she didn't seem willing to stop in the current situation only made her madder; the adorable sort of madder, actually. (Not that Shinobu herself could appreciate that; though Su certainly did).

But so help her, if this whole experience had merely been her latest prank on her, she was confiscating all her bananas for a year. She didn't care that she would have to fly all the way to Molmol to do so; nothing less would be an acceptable punishment.

Catching up with her friend, Shinobu sat down in the kotatsu Su had seemingly prepared beforehand; and true to her word, there was a bowl of bananas over it.

The bluenette considered asking if she had been expecting her, but had the feeling the answer was too obvious for that.

"So!" Su began, reaching for a piece of her favorite fruit (And food, and…thing in general, actually) "What do you think so far?"

That brought a slight feeling of irritation. Shinobu had taken her sweet time developing the capacity to truly get mad at people, and though she still had far more tolerance than most, even she knew how to be exasperated at Su.

Plus, time travel was just crossing the line.

"What do I think so far? Su, you sent me back in time without my permission!"

"About that, I-"

"You lied to me! You promised you would keep it as you told me. That I would only get future memories of about a week at most."

"Shinobu, I-"

"You never mentioned a travel to the past! Or anything about you coming along! Or about me getting sent to the hospital!"

"Shinobu!"

"And more than that-!"

"**SHINOBU!"** Once again displaying her wondrous ability to materialize matter from nothingness, Su held a megaphone in her left hand, proving to everyone how much she really cared about not waking Kitsune up.

The little chef, for her part, rubbed her eardrums. They were drumming. "…ouchie…"

"Sorry, sorry. It was just that you weren't giving me a chance to explain."

That got her an even angrier frown from Shinobu. "I think that I get to yell at you this time, Kaolla. What you did was too much, even for you!"

"But I didn't lie to you!" She protested. And as Shinobu opened her mouth to claim that yes, she so had, the princess interrupted. "I honestly didn't! I swear it! Pinky-promise swear it! Swallow a hundred bananas if I lie swear it!"

"It's a thousand needles…"

"Alright! Then cross my heart and hope to die, eat a thousand bananas if I lie pinky-promise super swear it!" At this point, Shinobu just chose to sigh, too stressed already.

"Just let me explain myself. And if you are still mad at me, I promise I will fix this up. Just give me a chance, pleeeeeeease?~" And now came the crying puppy eyes. Shinobu still held her immunity to them, but she guessed that…maybe…letting her say her piece was alright.

"Alright, but after you're done…" It's my turn, went unsaid.

Su saluted, smiling. "Got'cha!

So, okay, I for realsies didn't lie to you. The Mecha Seer did exactly what I said it would. It gave you memories from the future."

"No, it gave this Shinobu my future memories. I got sent to the past."

In a very Keitaro-like manner, Su scratched her head. "About that…"

Even with just those two words, the bluenette felt her anger slipping away and being replaced with a mixture of realization and disbelief. "I'm…not future Shinobu?"

Su's head shaking answered her question. "Future Shinobu is currently waking up from her session in the Mecha Seer, with the future memories of a week inside her."

"But…but then-how…?"

"The same happened with you, but on a bigger scale. You are past Shinobu, as you call her. You just got the memories of your future self. All of them." Another scratch, this one more nervous and apologetic. "That's kinda the reason you had your attack, actually. You know, 'cause your cortex had to…sort of reassemble itself? I'm sorry about that…I didn't think it would be that bad. I never had it so bad."

That peaked Shinobu's interest. "That's right, Su…why are you also here? Did you also use the Mecha Seer?"

"What? No. I built that in the future, so my past self didn't have it. In my case, I actually did send my mind into the past." She explained, now smiling.

"H-how did you accomplish that?"

"Well, it wasn't easy, for sure. I had to contact past me first, and get her to build this helmet. And she didn't have Keitaro around, so we had to test it on-"

"Wait wait wait wait wait." Interrupted Shinobu. "You _contacted_ your past self? As in, giving her a phone call?"

"Yeah." Admitted Su, as simply as if she had admitted to being called Kaolla.

"So, wait…I'm…still confused. If you are future Su, where is past Su?"

"It's also me!~" Revealed the foreigner, but upon her friend's bewildered frown, she went into detail. "It's complicated. Past me and future me have this kind of link, and we share stuff through it, so you can say we are kind of the same person?" She offered, hoping her friend got the picture.

Shinobu didn't, of course. All she got was the possibility that her friend could be simultaneously conscious and present in two different time periods. And she was fairly certain that went against _some_ laws of physics.

"…Okay, Kaolla, let's recap."

"Alright.~"

"So, first of all, you built the Mecha Seer in the future…" Began Shinobu.

"Uhu."

"Then, you…somehow contacted your past self, and made her build it too."

"That's right!"

"And then you…uh…what, exactly did you do next?"

"I convinced both future you and past you into using the Mecha Seer."

Shinobu shivered at the memory. "Right…and so, past me; or I guess, current me; got the memories from future me, and then she got the memories of a week into the future." Or was it the other way around? Shinobu was getting more tangled up by the second.

"Uhu! I didn't mention it before, but that's how the Mecha Seer works. You can get future memories from yourself, but that version of you must also be connected to the Mecha Seer. You can't just take them from any time location that you please."

The bluenette thought she was beginning to get it. Emphasis on 'thought'. "So…is that why you had me test it in the future? So you could get my memories from then into past…current me?"

"Yup!~ First it was this Shinobu, then six-years-later Shinobu, and then finally a Shinobu one week from then, all so the Mecha Seer could work."

The frown didn't leave the cook's face, as she was certain there were many problems with that explanation. Also, there were still several issues with the whole thing. "But then…that still doesn't make sense. So you say I'm not future me, just past me with _her_ memories. Then…why don't I have any memory of you ever asking me to test out the machine in this time period. You said I did it, so why can't I remember it?"

"Well, you see…like I said, I sorta contacted the past in order to build the Mecha Seer in this period. And I had to convince past Shinobu to help me. That means that, when the time came to download future Shinobu's memories into you, the two of you had some…conflicts." Su said, wording it like a doctor who tells you you've got something nasty, but can't bring himself into saying the proper term.

"And so those conflicts would make it impossible to link your two minds. So I had to…tinker a bit. You know, alter past you's memories a tiiiny bit…?"

"A-alter my…?-Kaolla! Is that why I suffered that attack!?"

The Molmolese girl winced at that, once more regretful. "Y-yeah…I'm sorry Shinobu. I thought…that once I got rid of all inconsistencies you would be alright. I even returned you to the kitchen to put you at ease…I didn't think-" A pause. "I didn't realize you wouldn't react like I did. I thought…or rather, I didn't think-" Su started fumbling for the right words, chocking herself in what Shinobu was surprised to notice were light sobs. In fact, tears were threatening to slip down her friend's cheeks.

Shinobu sighed. There was no way she could simply forgive Su for what she had done, and it's not like the girl herself ever showed remorse at involving others in her crazy antics. However…for once it seemed the reality of what she had done weighted on her. Su realized just how out of hand her actions had gotten, and that she had injured Shinobu whether intentionally or not.

This had happened before, a scant couple of times. It was one of the rare instances where Su allowed others to see how she was underneath all her immaturity and impulsiveness. Thinking back on the last week…it was likely the incident had been eating her up from the inside. But she had been either too scared or too ashamed to come up and apologize about it. Just like…

"_It's easy to forget how much of a kid she really is…"_ Thought Shinobu as she stood up and moved besides the girl. Tenderly, she pulled her into a hug.

"There, there…I'm not mad. You didn't know what you were doing. Just, promise it won't happen again Kaolla."

Her friend's body pressed against her chest, she felt the girl nod her agreement. "I-I'm sorry Shinobu. Really, I am…I would've helped you, but I also had to deal with future me, and so I couldn't-"

Shinobu shushed and papped the girl into calming down, understanding her apology. "I understand Kaolla. Really." She lifted the girl's head. "I'm not-**Gosh, Kaolla, you're bleeding!**"

Alarmed, Shinobu pointed at a trail of blood coming out of the girl's nose. Looking around for a tissue, her friend beat her to it, calming wiping away the blood.

"It's alright Shinobu." She said, wiping away her tears too. "Like I said, I also had to deal with this. It was easier for me though."

"E-e-easier for you!?"

"Uhu. Don't worry Shinobu, this is nothing. It's been getting easier with time. There's a lot less blood now."

"A lot less blood-**Kaolla!** What have you been _doing_ to yourself!?"

The princess waved an arm her way. "Relax Shinobu. I've also had to deal with the strain of future memories. It's just that since my link with future me is still going, it's taking some time for me to adapt." As she spoke, Su rolled a clean tissue into a ball and plugged her nostril with it. "But it doesn't hurt as much as it did for you."

Staring at her friend, hearing her dismiss her own health problems with claims of their unimportance…made Shinobu think that what she and Su considered 'having it easier' meant two very different magnitudes of pain.

Looking for the right thing to say, Shinobu reflected on everything she had just learned. So she was currently the almost 13-year-old Shinobu. It just so happened she had memories of the future; copy/pasted data, if you may. Future Shinobu must be moving on with her life then. Helping out Su with her invention, preparing the feast for the wedding…living the life **she** should have lived.

"…Kaolla…if you really changed the past…are we still in the same timeline?" The bluenette wasn't an expert on time mechanics. She couldn't claim to know how that worked. But she knew that every cause had an effect, and that changing the cause changed the effect.

So if Su had changed the past; _this_ past… "Doesn't that mean we're in an alternate universe?"

Her spirits somewhat back up after being comforted by her friend, Su put back her smile as she began to explain. "Yes…and no. Like you say, I changed the past; that is, our present. That means that eventually, we will reach a different future than the one we remember. Thing is though…"

She reached under the table, and pulled out a notebook. The opened white page had two straight lines drawn. "…it takes a lot to cause a divergence. Currently, if we do nothing and even with all I've changed already, we would be pushed back into the original timeline." To illustrate, the girl took a pencil and drew a curve. It started at the top line's left end, and returned somewhere in the middle.

Shinobu blinked at that. "How would that work?"

"The Mecha Seer would break down, as I don't supposedly build it until a few months before Keitaro's wedding. We would start losing our future memories; and in my case I would lose my link with future me. The girls would forget you were ever at the hospital…evidence of your stay there would go missing accidentally…your parents wouldn't come to visit…" Her friend stopped there, aware Shinobu already got it.

"_So things would just go back to normal. Everything that has changed until now…"_ Keitaro's smiling face popped up in her mind. _"…would become meaningless…"_ A bitter feeling settled inside her chest.

"However," Added Su. "what I want to do is prevent that from happening. I want to create a whole new timeline. An alternate universe." This time, Su drew a straight line between the top and bottom ones; connecting them both. The bluenette nodded. She at the very least understood the multiverse theory.

…was it a theory still, or had it been upgraded into a fact? A law?

…yeah, she had no idea.

"How…? And, do I play a part in that?" Shinobu asked with no small amount of…worry, she had to admit. She had no clue of what her friend was after.

"Yes, you do. Or well, you can, if you want to." Su admitted. "As for the how…that has to do with it. Shinobu," The Molmolese suddenly took a serious tone. "how would you like marrying Keitaro?"

The cook, on the other hand, responded with a very surprised, bewildered; and yes, a very red face. "W-w-w-wha…y-y-you mean me, a-a-and…sempai, getting…m-m-ma…m-ma…"

"Married, yes." As a testament to how much of a joke this entire thing wasn't, the normally hyperactive girl said nothing in regards to Shinobu's steamy blush (No, seriously. It was throwing steam). "That's the alternate universe I'm speaking of. One where you and Keitaro en up together."

The girl couldn't believe her ears. Past-Shinobu's naiveté, Future-Shinobu's desire, Current-Shinobu's confusion…all that mixed and clashed to create a very much speechless bluenette who for the life of her couldn't think of anything to say.

Not that she could speak at the moment, mind you.

Su had mercy on her, however, and she didn't pause for long. "You see, there's this _something_ I need. And that something won't appear unless you and Keitaro end up together. That's why I had to do this."

"What…?" She started, after finally regaining her voice. "What could you possibly gain from me and Sempai…being together? And why?"

Su shook her head. "I can't say. You wouldn't understand. It's not something that would happen within your lifetime anyways."

Shinobu just stared. "B-but then…how…?" She groaned, once again confused. "Okay, so…sempai and I. You said you need that to…happen. How, would that go?"

"Well, if you want you, I can still make this whole thing normal again." The Molmolese dug into her pockets, taking out two small pills. One blue, one red. "If you swallow the blue pill, you will forget everything about the future. You will go back to being Shinobu."

"….and…what about the red pill?"

"Oh, this? It's just cherry candy.~" The girl popped it into her mouth. "Want some?"

Shinobu sweat dropped. "…no thanks." She cleared her throat. "And if…I choose to remain like this…?"

"Well, the Hinata is a sort of embassy for Molmol you know?" At the bluenette's reaction, Su explained. "Well, what did you expect? I'm the princess. Daddy didn't want me to come here unless Granny agreed to a couple things. And this was one of them.~"

"…and how would that get sempai and me…married?"

"We have our own rules on that in Molmol. And plus, we don't have age restrictions! You two coul-"

"S-s-stop right there!" Shinobu pleaded, knowing the next part of that sentence. "This…Kaolla, this is a lot to take in…I…" She sighed. "I don't know what to say…"

She felt her tan friend move forward, grabbing her shoulders. "I know Shinobu. But, I just want you to know…you shouldn't think too deeply about the time stuff. Like I said, even if I get what I'm looking for, it won't involve you anymore than this.

I…I want you to decide on this not based on all that, but rather…I want you to be happy, Shinobu." Su said, sincerely. "If you want to be with Keitaro this way…or if you don't…please think on that. I can wait."

Shinobu nodded, not sure if she should say anything else or not. In the end…she stood up, waved her friend good-bye, and left.

She absentmindedly wandered the dormitory's hallways, finally coming upon her room.

She dragged herself to her bed, reached towards one of her plushies…and dropped limp over the covers, trying to think.

So…she could put this all behind her. She could go back to normal, and eventually return to the life she knew. She could say no to Su's request, let the timeline go back to normal, let what was meant to happen…happen. Or…not.

She could stay like this, let Su marry her to Keitaro…and try. She could try something which she had yearned for the past six years of her life.

But…did she want to do it like _this_? It almost felt like cheating…but could she also let the chance slip away?

Shinobu…didn't honestly know. And as she held on to her soft toys for comfort, she hoped that changed soon.

Su had not outright said it…but Shinobu knew she didn't have much time…

* * *

><p><strong>CN: And that's it people! Next chapter, Shinobu makes her decision (Which we already know what it will be), and she gets a surprise visit. Again, hindsight ought have been 2020.**


End file.
